Combined sighting device and automatic projectile-releaser for air-vehicles.



L. MANDELARTZ. COMBINED SIGHTING DEVICE AND AUTOMATIC PROJEGTILE RELEASER FOR AIR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 0UT.80,1913.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1v L. MANDELARTZ. COMBINED SIGHTING DEVICE AND AUTOMATIC PROJEGTILE RELEASER FOR AIR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.30, 1913 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GERMANY, ASSIGNOR r0 FRIED.

I LUD'WIG- MANDELARTZ, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR,

KRUPP AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF ES$ EN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

COMBINED SIGHTING DEVICE AND AUTOMATIC PRoJEoTILn-RELEAsEIt FOR AIR- VEHICLES.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, leis.

Application filed October 30, 1913. Serial No. 798,381.

To all whom it M ay concern:

Be it known that I, LUDWIG MANDELARTZ, residing atEssen-on-the-Ruhr, Germany, a subject of the-Emperor of Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Sighting Devices and Automatic Projectile-Releasers for Air-Ve hicles, of which the following is a specification. 1

The present invention relates to a com bined sighting device and automatic projectile releaser used on air vehicles, especially on flying machines, which device makes it possible ti: automatically drop the projectile, as soon as the correct distance from the target is reached, when the sighting device has been'adjusted to correspond to the altitude of the flying machine and to its speed; and the sight line, with this ad justment during its flight. is constantly kept directed on the target.

In sighting devices of the prior art, the controlling member of the releaser at the moment of dropping a projectile, may have quite different positions. If therefore the observer, when using the sighting devices of prior art does not constantly keep his attention, during the entire observation time, on an exact crossing? over the target, he must then look away from the target to ascertain, when the moment for dropping a projectile approaches.

The subject matter of the present invention is now a sighting device -of the kind referred to in the beginning of this application, by the use of which, the observer may feel from theposition of the handle-of the releaser, when the moment for dropping a projectile appr0aches;-so that he continuously may keep the target in sight, without, however, having to keep rigid attention, during the entire time of observatiom'on an accurate crossing over the target for the moment to act.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated oneembodiment of the invention and Figurel shows alongitudinal section through I the portion of a flying machine, which contains the sighting and releasing device; Fig. 2 a'section along line 2-2 of Fig. I, seen from the left. The following figures are in larger scale and Fig. 3 shows a section along line 33 of Fig. 1 seen from the right; Fig. 4 a rear view, partly in section of the sighting device, as well as a portion of the releaser with the parts in different position; Fig. 5 a side view of Fig. 4 with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. and Fig. i a section along line 66 of Fig. -l, seen from the left.

Side by side with the seat A- sf the air ship pilot, see Fig. 2, is provided a seat A for the observer, whose duty is to attend to the sighting and releasing device. In front of the seat A is mounted a cross shaft ii in hearings on the chassis A of the flying machine, which shaft, by means of bevel gears 72 0 has driving connection with a longi tudinal shaft C, also mounted in hearings on the chassis of the flying machine. it projectile D is, by means of a hook (Z, suspended from the shaft 0, the axis of which is situated in the central,longitudinal plane of the flying machine. The hook (Z and the portion of the shaft C embraced by the hook, see Fig. 3, have such shape, that the hook will lose its hold on the shaft C, as soon as the latter is turned in a certain angular position. For this purpose the end of the hook rl barely reaches the center line at the top of the shaft 0, and the shaft itself is cut down to a smaller diameter at the place where it engages with the hook rZ, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The diminished portion of the shaft is moreover cut away on one side along an axial plane of the shaft, so that the shaft has a flat surface of the same width as the smaller shaft diameter. The hooks can consequently never engage more than a quadrant of the shaft and will be released as soon as the fiat surface stands vertical. In Fig. 3 thelarger circle represents the main diameter of the shaft.

On a projecting sleeve 6 Fig. l. of a bearing E for the shaft B, is revolublv mounted a two armed lever, the one arm F of whichis provided with a handle f, and the other arm I carries an are P curred concentric with the shaft B. ()n the are 7" guided a slide G, which may be displaced along the are by means of a spiral gear seated on said slide engaging with corresponding teeth 7 of the are 7'. On the shaft '8 and coaxial with the hand lever F f I, is revolubly mounted a crank lever, whose arm H carries a transversely adjustable tell scopic sight J. The other arm H of the crank lever, carries an arc hflcurved ooaxially with the shaft .13, which are slides in a guide piece G rigidly connected with the slide Gr through its'arm g and may be displaced by means of a spiral gear 9 meshing with teeth h of the are k and mounted on the guide piece G The gearing g f serves to impart a main adjustment of the sight line relative to the hand lever F f F while the gearing/g5 h serves for adjusting corrections. Fat reading the main adjustment is provided an angular scale, not shown, onthe'hack of the are 7 and a markon the slide Gr. Similarly is provided on the back of the arc It a correcting scale, not shown,

" B, as soonas the face f of the cut i which face is located to the rear during said move- 1 ment, impinges against the coupling pin 6 The shaft B is influenced by a spiral spring K located in thebearing E, which spring tends toturn the shaft B in opposite direction of the arrow as and the shaft 0 in the direction of the arrow 3 by means of the selected bevel gears 12 0 shown in the drawing. The relations are selected so that the shaft C is situatedtin such angular position, when the coupling pin 1) impinges against the end designated by e of the slot e that the release of the projectile is effected; and that when the coupling pin b actuated by the pressure of the spring K, impinges against theother end of the slot 6 the shaft C has the angular position illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein the hook al is supported on the shaft C. The length, measured circumferentially, of the cut f is made as large as possible, so thatthe sight line, Without changing its adjustment in elevation, given by the gearing 9 f and g h may be oscillated within the. greatest possible limits.

The length of the slot 0 has on the contrary been selected as small as possible, in order to diminish as much as possible, the angular range, within which the oscillation of the sight line in the directionof the arrow as only follows by simultaneous turning of the shaft B while overcoming the re sistance of the spring K.

The angular scale .provided on the back of the are f must be so arranged, that, with each adjustment of the slide G, the mark thereon indicates the angle, which. thesight a line (being inv its middle position relatiye to the side direction) forms with the middle,

longitudinal axis of the flying machine,

when the mark ofthe guide piece G registers with the zero-point of the correctin scale provided on the arc h and the han lever F f F has simultaneously been turned so far in the direction ofthe arrow '41:, that the coupling pin 6 impinges against the end 6 of the slot 6 a The position of the tion. The magnitude of this angle, which in the following will be called sighting angle depends only on the speed ofrfiight and the altitude of flight, not taking into account secondary influences such as wind, height of barometer, etc. The sighting angle may be easily ascertained, by, for'instance, the -assistance of a table, when the speed of flight and altitude of flight are known. In using the here described device, the slide G is now so adjusted by means of the gears 9 i that the mark thereon registers with the division line of the angutar scale provided on the arc P, which line corresponds to the sighting angle. Necessary corrections may be made by means of the gears g it. through displacement of the arc h relative to the guidepiece G If the leverarm F f 'were turned to the angular position indicated by dot and dash lines while the middle, longitudinal axis ofthe flying machine remains constantly horizontal during the flight, as has herein been supposed, the sight line would, in consequence of the above named adjustment, form an angle against the horizontal line, which is equal to the adjusted sighting angle, or equal to the angle, which the sight line, di-

rected on the target, forms with the horizontal line, when the flying machine has reached the required distance from the target, to hit the latter.

Should the sightline be directed against the target, when the i1 ing machine is at greaterdistance from t e target, the sight line will then form an angle with the horizontal line, which is considerably smaller than the above named angle. The lever arm F. 7 will thereby generally occupy such a great angular distance fromits extreme position indicated by the dot and dash lines, and in opposite direction .to the arrow at, that the limiting face of the cut i not yet impinges against thecoupling pin 6 of the shaft B. This has the a vantage, that the handlever F f F 'together with the crank lever.H H? and the telescopic sight 5 may beturned quite freely within certain limits,

whereby the directing of the sight line against the target is facilitated While I j i I I the flying machine is nearing the target, the ob server, continually turning the handlever F f F in the direction of the arrow at, keeps the sight line constantly directed against the target. As soon as the limiting face f of the cut f during this turning of the hand lever, has impinged against'the coupling pin 6 the shaft B will follow in the turning of the hand lever, and the shaft C will turn in opposite direction to the arrow 3/, that is, in the direction to release the projectile. When finally the flying machine has attained the distance required to hit the target, and the sight line directed on the target then forms an angle with the horizontal line, which is equal to the sighting angle, the lever arm F 7" will then simultaneously have arrived in its extreme position indicated by dot and dash lines and the same instant the release of the projectile will take place. If now the hand lever F f n is set free, the shaft C will return, actuated by the spring K, to its original position shown in Fig. 3, so that a new projectile may 'be suspended therefrom.

From the above given description it will be evident that the hand lever F f always has the same position at the instant of releasing the projg tile for all values of speed or altitude of flight. The observer may therefore already by feel and without leaving the target out of sight, know when the releasing moment is approaching, which constitutes the advantage of this invention as set forth in the beginning of this specification.

In place of the mechanical projectile re leasing device of the described embodiment, an electrical releasing device may naturally be used, which for instance could be brought into action, so that the hand lever F f l closes or opens an electric circuit, when it has attained a certain angular position.

In the case that the i'l ving machine before the dropping of the projectile, always travels with the same actual speed, the angular scale provided on the back of the are 7" may be substituted bv a corresponding scale of altitude of flight, as in this case the sighting angle is dependent only on the altitude of flight when the secondary influences, compensated for by means of the gears g it, are not considered.

I claim:

l. A combined sighting and projectile re leasing device for air vehicles having a sight carrier, a movable releaser causing th piiojot-tile to drop when assuming a pre eter mined position and means for locking said sight carrier and releas'er together in dif ferent positions corresponding to the desired :r-ri hting angles.

A conioined sighting and projectile releasing device for air vehicles, having a revoluble sight carrier and a revoluble projectile relcaser and means for locking said carrier and releaser together in din'erent an gular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and releaser.

A combined sighting and projectile re leasing device for air vehicles, having a revolublcsight carrier, and a revoluble pros jectile releaser andrmeans for locking said carrier and releaser together in different angular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and releaser; said releaser constructed to release a projectile when in a certain angular position.

4. A combined sighting and projectile releasing device for air vehicles, having a revoluble sight carrier and a revoluble projectile releaser and means for locking said carrier and releaser together in different angular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and releaser; said locning means comprisingan arcuate arm on said carrier, and another arcuate arm on said releaser, both arms concentrically curved around the axis of said shaft, a slide with suitable guide ways slidably engaging said arcuate arms respectively, and gearing for slidably displacing said slide relative to each of said arms.

5. A combined sighting and projectile releasing device for air vehicles, having a revoluble sight carric and a revoluble projectile releascr and means for locking said carrier and releascr together in different angular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and rcl *aser; said release comprising a bearing for said shaft having a short circuinferential slot and a stud in the shaft extending through said slot, and permitting a limited oscillation of the shaft, a spring tending to turn said shaft into its normal position of supporting a projectile.

6. A combined sighting and projectile re-' l asing device for air vehicles, having a revoluble sight carrier and a revoluble pro jectile rclcaser and means for locking said carrier and release! together in different angular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and releaser; said releaser comprising a bearing for said shaft having a short circiunferential slot and a stud in the shaft extending through said slot, and permitti up; a, limited oscillation of the shaft, a spring tending to turn said shaft into its normal position of supporting a projectile, a lever connected with said locking means, a hub for said lever mounted on said. bearing and being j)l l\3i{t8 l with a long circumferential cut adapted to engage with said stud at a certain angular position of said lever, whereby said lcvcr may have a partial oscillation independent of said shaft.

7. A combined sighting and projectile re leasing device/for air vehicles, having a revoluble sight carrier and a revoluble pro- &

jbctile releaser and means for locking said carrier and releaser together in different angular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and releaser; said releaser comprising a bearing for said shaft hav ng a short circumferential slot and a stud in the shaft extending through said slot, and permitting a limited oscillationof the shaft, a spring tending to turn said shaft into its normal position of supporting a projectile, a lever'connected with said locking means, ahub for said lever mounted on said bearing and being provided with a long circumferential cut adapted to engage with-said stud at a certainangular position of said lever, and means actuated by said shaft for supporting a projectile when the Y shaft stands in normal position and release the projectile when said shaft has been turned into its extreme opposite position.

'8. A combined sighting and projectile releasing device for air vehicles, having a revoluble sight carrier and a revoluble projectile releaser and means for lockingsaid carrier and releaser together in different angular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and releaser; said releaser comprising a bearing for said shaft having a short circumferential slot and a stud in the shaft extending throughv said slot, and permitting a limited oscillation of the shaft, a spring tending to turn said shaft into its normal position of supporting a projectile, a lever connected with said locking means, a hub for said lever mounted on said bearing and being provided with a long circumferential cut adapted toengage with said stud at a certain angular-position of said lever, and means actuatedby said shaft for supporting'a projectile when the shaft stands in normal position and release the projectile when said shaft hasbeen turned into its extreme opposite position; said locking means comprising an arciiate arm on said carrier and another .arcuate arm on said releaser, both arms concentrically curved ,around the axis of said shaft, a slide with suitable guide ways slidably engaging said arcuate arms respectively, and gearing for slidably displacing said slide relative to each of said arms.

9. A combined sighting and projectile releasing device for air vehicles, having a revoluble sight carrier and a revoluble projectile releaser and means for locking said carrier and releaser together in different angular positions, a common horizontal shaft for said carrier and releaser: said releaser comprising a bearing for said shaft having a short circumferential slot and a stud in the shaft extending through said I slot, and permitting a limited oscillation of the shaft, a spring tending to turn said shaft into its normal position of supporting a projectile, a lever connected with said locking means, a hub for said lever mounted on said bearing and being provided with a long circumferential cut adapted to engage with said studat a certain angular position of said lever, and means actuated by said shaft for supporting a projectile when the shaft stands in normal position and release IQUDWIG MANDELARTZ. 1 8.]

In presence of,- HELEN vNurnn, ALBERT NUFER. 

